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AAP Follow Up Statement on Female Genital “Cutting”

Posted by mattusmaximus on May 17, 2010

I blogged a few days ago, in my post Two Steps Forward, One Step Back for Women & Science, about how I thought the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) really frakked up by appearing to give cover to some doctors who want to cater to some parents that want to engage in female circumcision (what I and others refer to as FGM – female genital mutilation). It is worth noting that this new position on the part of the AAP is particularly striking, seeing as how FGM is against federal law in the United States.

The traditional custom of ritual cutting and alteration of thegenitalia of female infants, children, and adolescents, referredto as female genital mutilation or female genital cutting (FGC),persists primarily in Africa and among certain communities inthe Middle East and Asia. Immigrants in the United States fromareas in which FGC is common may have daughters who have undergonea ritual genital procedure or may request that such a procedurebe performed by a physician. The American Academy of Pediatricsbelieves that pediatricians and pediatric surgical specialistsshould be aware that this practice has life-threatening healthrisks for children and women. The American Academy of Pediatricsopposes all types of female genital cutting that pose risksof physical or psychological harm, counsels its members notto perform such procedures, recommends that its members activelyseek to dissuade families from carrying out harmful forms ofFGC, and urges its members to provide patients and their parentswith compassionate education about the harms of FGC while remainingsensitive to the cultural and religious reasons that motivateparents to seek this procedure for their daughters.

It looks as if saner heads have prevailed over at the AAP. You don’t put an end to a destructive, misogynistic practice based upon superstition like FGM by kow-towing to the people who engage in the superstition, and I’m glad the AAP has realized that.

One Response to “AAP Follow Up Statement on Female Genital “Cutting””

Sorry, but that “clarifying” statement is double-speak. They repeat, “The American Academy of Pediatrics opposes all types of female genital cutting that pose risks of physical or psychological harm.”

In their revised Policy Statement, the AAP justify “nicking” on the basis that it is not harmful. The clarification is attempting to divert the attention away from endorsing genital cutting to not doing anything that does harm. The AAP needs to come out and say that ANY genital cutting is not to be condoned.